


Let's Make A Home

by Horatio_Air_Horns



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Avatar, Ember Island (Avatar), Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Established Relationship, M/M, Protective Sokka (Avatar), Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, idiots to lovers, zukka - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-20
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-17 11:09:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29591919
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Horatio_Air_Horns/pseuds/Horatio_Air_Horns
Summary: Five years after Zuko has become Fire Lord, he and Sokka are in a relationship. Through Sokka's encouragement the pair return to Ember Island, to the Fire Lord's summer house to make a home for themselves. From enemies to lovers, how well can this young pair make a home together?
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 19





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * For [space_sauce](https://archiveofourown.org/users/space_sauce/gifts).



“I don’t get why you are so hung up on this, Sokka!” Zuko snapped as he stalked into their bedroom. He removed his crown and began to unfasten his top knot, knowing full well that this conversation was far from over, so he might as well get comfortable for it. 

“Because I think it’s important!” Sokka retorted as he came in and shut the doors behind him. 

“WHY? Why is my family’s old summer house important to you?!” 

“BECAUSE YOU ARE IMPORTANT TO ME!” 

The couple stood there in silence for a moment, never dropping eye contact. Zuko’s heart had skipped a beat, raised voices were still something that caused him some discomfort. And he had rarely ever heard Sokka yell before. A shadow of guilt passed over Sokka’s face. Zuko lowered his hands from his hair to hold his knuckles anxiously as was his usual nervous tick. 

Sokka sighed. Rolling his head back and dragging fingers down his face as he kicked the carpet in exasperation. “Babe?” he asked softly. 

“Yes?” Zuko responded. 

Sokka gestured to the small sitting area beside the window overlooking the east garden. Zuko observed him for a moment before going over to one of the chairs and sitting. Sokka followed him a moment later and knelt before him, gently taking Zuko’s hands in his. 

“Ok. I’m gonna talk for a bit, right? And I just ask that you let me do that so I can get it all out, and then you can let me know what you think, yeah?” 

“I’m not allowed to talk till you’re finished then?” Zuko mused. “I thought it’s my job to be the bossy one.” 

“I’m not trying to silence you or anything, but I feel like all we’ve been doing is arguing recently. And I guess this is the only way I know how to ask to just speak freely about something that I know is hard for you.” 

“You’re allowed to speak your mind, Sokka…” Zuko said softly. “Do I make you feel like you can’t?” 

“No. Never. Unless it’s something that you aren’t really ready to talk about, which is fine. It’s fair. But, please, Zuko, I’m tired of fighting. And I think if we keep going like this that’s all we’re going to do.” 

Zuko let those words rest heavily between them. He cleared his throat softly and nodded. “Go ahead.” 

Sokka smiled, and Zuko’s heart fluttered. That bright, beautiful smile. How his eyes would narrow just a touch from the size of it. How his eyes shone with joy. Spirits, had it really been that long since he had seen Sokka smile in that way? Had they really been doing nothing but fighting? The butterflies in his stomach were suddenly consumed by a guilty queasiness. 

“You don’t take enough breaks for yourself. You’ve been Fire Lord for five years now, and can you honestly say you’ve had a break since then? Other than maybe a day at a time? And traveling across the country for meetings and councils doesn’t count!” Sokka squeezed Zuko’s wrists and gave them a bounce. “That isn’t ok, babe. I know you’re working so hard, and you’re doing an amazing job. But you cannot burn a candle at both ends. I am worried about your health…” 

Zuko listened to his partner’s passionately concerned words and knew it to be true. He was so exhausted, but he had been fighting so hard not to show it. Every morning was a struggle to get out of bed, to get dressed, to put on the crown and walk out the door like he wasn’t scared. Like he wasn’t anxious about any misunderstood word or action being taken out of context and starting another war. About inadvertently hurting someone through an action against their trauma. To let his guard down enough for people to see that he still feels out of his league, how desperately inadequate he feels in his own shoes each and every day. 

Zuko tried to nod his head to let Sokka know that he understood where all this was coming from, but a shuddering sigh was all he could muster. And it clearly startled Sokka as much as it did himself. Sokka gave Zuko’s hands another gentle squeeze. 

“I know none of this has been easy on you. And I know that getting out of the palace always seems like a release. The energy you have in other nations, even just on the road are totally different to the way you are here in the capital. And, I know you do not have great memories of your family’s house on Ember Island… But, couldn’t we change that together? Wasn’t that summer we spent time training there and preparing there with Aang a turning point for that? Yeah, sure, we were still preparing for war - but you were part of our family then. You. Were safe there. You were safe with us. And you are safe with me. Yeah?” 

Zuko’s throat felt tighter and tighter by the second, and his tears were threatening to start pouring out. He nodded softly and gulped, trying to keep his emotions in check. He squeezed Sokka’s hands tightly, trying to focus on anything other than his bubbling nerves. His stomach was flipping and turning so much he was worried he could actually get sick. His heart also was pounding so hard he was worried it would burst out of his chest. 

“I’m not trying to force anything, I promise. But, I do want you to think about it. We can go to the house, and we can clean it up. We can make it our safe place for when we need to get away from our political lives. We can take a team with us to help us tidy up, keep or throw out whatever you like. We can make it a home. Cause, if I’m honest…” Sokka turned his head to look around the large suite that the pair shared. “This palace, it’s pretty overwhelming to me. You could fit the entire Southern Water tribe and all our houses in this one building… Not saying it isn’t beautiful, of course! But, you know… sometimes I miss the feeling of just a few walls, ya know? That cozy sort of feeling?” 

Zuko snorted and nodded. During his travels with his uncle post his banishment, he had learned to love smaller homes for how comfortable they could be. Sokka was making his point. And Zuko’s mind was starting to turn and he was worried about where these new thoughts could be racing to. 

“I know it’s hard. Going back to places that stir up old memories… trust me. I get it. But, I’ve also learned how great it is to build new memories in place of the sad ones,” Sokka beamed as he nuzzled Zuko’s hands. “I mean, look at us. If you’d told me six years ago that I’d be in a relationship with the Fire Lord? The angry looking kid that knocked the shit out of me at our first meeting? That chased me and my friends around the world trying to kill us? I mean, isn’t it crazy where we are now? We can make a home out of a place where we both were preparing to make the biggest steps of our lives. I think… It could be a big help for both of us. And I want to make a place where we can just be us. No titles, no responsibilities to anyone else, just you and me.” Sokka took a big breath and sighed it out, lowering his shoulders slightly. He seemed to release something from deep within. He returned his gaze to Zuko softly. “What do you think?” 

Zuko sat there silently, taking in the image of the love of his life sitting before him. The hopeful light in his eyes, the brilliance of his smile, and the warmth of his hands. Looks like that weren’t ones he was used to. Reverence, hesitation, fear and distrust yes - all the time in fact. But Sokka always looked at him with kindness and care. Even when they were angry or just irritated with the other, Zuko always could see that Sokka still wanted him around. That was weird. And Zuko was still not sure how he should feel about it. 

“You aren’t wrong…” Zuko started meekly. “I know the palace can be. Alot. And, I’m sorry. Just because it feels like home to me, I didn’t think about how it doesn’t feel like home to you. Returning- no,” he corrected himself, “Being wanted back home was all I wanted years ago. So, maybe I let it cloud my judgement. I don’t want you to ever feel like you aren’t wanted, anywhere. Wherever you are… I want to be there too. And, I want to make you happy, Sokka. “

“Having a place just for us would be great,” Zuko continued. ”No one knows about the house, as far as I know. It was always a big secret when we would go with my family years ago. There were ways we would go about being “normal” when we were on the island. I mean, dad wasn’t Fire Lord then so it was easier. But uncle went with us too, and we were rarely recognized even in town…” he knew he was rambling. But he was trying his best to navigate his own feelings and concerns about this whole idea. All the while Sokka kept his gaze on Zuko, nodding as he listened, following every word. 

“But... I wouldn’t want anyone else to go with us. If we’re going to do this. I want it to be just us. With cleaning up the house we’re going to find things that belong to my family that I don’t want falling into some fanatic’s hands. Dad still has his followers, and I wouldn’t want anything of his to be used as items of martyrdom or idolization. So, it’d be a lot of work for just us… And I can’t guarantee I’ll always be… warm? You know?” 

“Cause you’re always hot? Sexy hot?” Sokka smirked, kissing Zuko’s knuckles again. 

“Shut up. You know what I mean. I’m worried that I might not be as much help as you think I’ll be. Who knows how much stuff is in there? Of Dad’s. Of Azula’s... “ he looked out towards the garden, his face darkening.

Sokka followed his gaze softly. “Yeah. I know. And, I get it. Going alone is probably best. We can make sure nothing falls into the wrong hands. And you’ll know what is best to keep and what isn’t. And I won’t be forcing you to do anything, babe. I promise. But…. If we can make our relationship work with all the travel and politics, I think we’re plenty capable of cleaning out an old house. Yeah?” 

Sokka rested his head against Zuko’s lap gently, nuzzling his cheek against the softness of his robes. Zuko smiled softly, releasing Sokka’s hands to slowly stroke through his hair. 

“You know that I had never cleaned anything before, right? Not until I worked at uncle’s tea shop? I hadn’t even touched a broom till I was 15. You are sure you want to go work on an entire house with me?” 

With that Sokka burst out into laughter, head thrown back, face lighting up all over. He fell back onto his bottom, covering his face as he tried to catch his breath.  
“You have GOT to be kidding me! You are such a rich kid!!” 

“There it is…” Zuko smiled as he slid from the chair onto his knees to reach out to touch Sokka’s face. 

“There what is?” Sokka looked confused, tears from laughter still in the corner of his eyes. 

“Your laugh. I’m sorry. I hadn’t realized how much we’ve been fighting, and I forgot how much I miss the sound of your laugh. And your smile.” 

“Well, I’m sorry for that too. But, I’m happy you let me get all of that out. Thank you, love.” 

“No, thank you. I don’t know what I would do without you,” Zuko trailed his hands down Sokka’s neck gently, leaning in to sweetly lock their lips into a soft kiss. Sokka moaned gently into him and embraced Zuko closely. They stayed like that for several moments, hands holding each other close, sharing sweet kisses back and forth. When they finally broke for air they remained close, staring into each other’s eyes for several moments. 

“So. What do you think? Can we make a home together? Just for us?” Sokka asked, stroking down Zuko’s cheek. Zuko sighed softly, taking in the feeling of Sokka’s skin against his. He gently went to hold his hand, pulling it to his lips to offer soft kisses to his dark skin. 

“A place for just us, huh?” Zuko smiled lightly, slowly stroking the collar of Sokka’s shirt. “No responsibilities? No titles. Just me and you? Sounds too good to be true, honestly. And, yeah. It’s going to be a ton of work… but. With you… I know we can do it. We have done crazier things…” 

Sokka smirked and nodded in agreement, raising his hand to slowly comb through Zuko’s long hair. “Prison breaks and traveling the world…” he said. “Falling in love?” 

“Falling in love with you wasn’t hard, Sokka,” Zuko laughed, wrapping his arms around Sokka’s neck. There was a long pause between them. And then. “Let’s do it. Let’s make a home.”

Sokka’s eyes widened, his gaze locked into Zuko’s. 

“Wait. You really mean it?” 

“Of course. You made a-” before Zuko could finish, Sokka flung his arms around him, kissing him deeply. One strong tan hand was locked in Zuko’s raven hair, the other wrapped around his waist, holding him tightly into Sokka’s kiss and embrace. Zuko’s strength nearly failed him as his knees buckled from both the shock and the intimacy of it. He smirked into Sokka’s lips and met him kiss for passionate kiss, embracing him back. 

Sokka pulled away first, but not by much, their foreheads pressed together gently as sapphire and amber eyes once again got lost in the other. 

“I love you. So fucking much.” 

“And I love you,” Zuko smiled, stroking a hand through the hair on the nape of Sokka’s neck. Even though he could still feel a churning ocean of emotions in his body, he knew that in this moment all was well. Sokka’s smile, his warmth, his genuine care. From enemy, to comrade, to friend, to lover - there was very little they hadn’t been through together. And knowing that made this leap feel a little safer. As long as they were together, Zuko knew they could figure it out.


	2. Day 3: Learning to Relax

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys get an idea of how much of an undertaking the island house will be, fluffy softness alert!

It was weird being back in his family's summer home. Especially considering the last time Zuko was there he was helping plan an insurrection against his father. And the time before he had purposely used momentos and family artwork as kindling to keep his friends and sister warm. The memory of Azula calling the house depressing stirred some emotion deep in Zuko’s gut. He understood it, and he hated the guilt that flooded his conscience at the thought. Even though he made regular visits to his sister in the asylum prison, he hadn’t mentioned to her this trip. He wasn’t sure he could handle her thoughts on the matter, or her threats or mocking about destroying their father’s legacy even further. 

He never told her, or anyone other than his uncle about them using the old home as a hideaway right before the war ended. And, even though it was only for a short time that was majorly stressful, Zuko could admit that at least the most recent memories in the house were good ones. He had found some of the supplies they left behind, and tons of balls of Appa fur still rolling around the house. The dishes they had used the night before Aang had disappeared were still in the sink, and Sokka had even found a small perfectly arranged pyramid of rocks in a backroom where Toph had clearly been amusing herself. 

Even though the last time Zuko was in this house he and the Avatar team were planning an assassination, his father was still alive. Aang was able to find a solution that did not compromise his principles, and was still able to render Ozai powerless. As relieved as Zuko knew he should be to not be the only living member of his family, it was bizarre to return to a place that housed the memories of a nearly idealistic childhood, and both rage filled and terrified youth alone. 

Or, nearly alone. A thud above him drew his attention and he sighed, shaking his head. Muffled curses and dragging noises were heard. Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose as he slowly climbed the stairs.

"What are you doing now?" he called up, slightly bemused.

"Why is there ARMOR packed up in the beach towels of a SUMMER HOUSE?!" Sokka hollered back. "I was just pulling boxes down to organize it and nearly concussed myself on this thing!"

As Zuko entered one of the old bedrooms he found Sokka brandishing an old school ceremonial helmet above his head. Sokka's black hair was speckled with dust, and he looked absolutely scandalized.

"I mean, I’ve never had a summer house before and I know that is rude! There were set times to put away weapons during family time when I was a kid! I mean, seriously! Your dad was so obsessed with war that he had to take armor to the beach?!"

He then began his usual style of monologuing as he wandered about tidying up. As Zuko listened, he slumped against the doorframe with his arms crossed, smiling weakly at his idiot boyfriend. It had been through a good deal of Sokka's encouragement that they were here in the first place, and Sokka was the one getting most of the work done if Zuko was honest. 

Zuko had only washed the dishes that had been left behind in the sink, swept and dusted the kitchen and tossed out the old bowls and plates that were too damaged to use. He had mostly just wandered the house, would start in some areas and get overwhelmed and then leave to go somewhere else, only to repeat the process.His knuckles were starting to feel sore from constantly rubbing them, and if he wasn’t massaging his hands he was running his fingers through his hair. Keeping his focus on anything was proving to be a struggle. Only towards the end of the day did he finally get some true work done, going to burn away all the natural detritus from the irrigation system to get it so the water could start flowing back into the house’s pipes.

Sokka, on the other hand, thrived in situations where a plan needed to be made and followed. He had already made a VERY long scroll listing out the goals for the month they were staying at at Ember Island, day to day tasks to complete to try to get the house livable again. He had even already tackled ordering supplies to fix the hole in the second story room that Zuko had smashed through in his training with Aang, unclogged the drains so they could have water flow, and started on the first floor bedroom which was nearly done. There were several organized piles of boxes and clothes ready for sorting or disposal. 

Zuko had been dreading going back to a place that had been linked to his old life, one that he could never return to even if he wanted. Sokka's words reminded him that just because he couldn't change the past didn't mean he wasn't in some control of his future. They could make the summer home their refuge, their sanctuary. They could make it theirs. Even though it was no secret that Fire Lord Zuko and Representative of the Southern Water Tribe, and Councilman Sokka were lovers, they didn't have a place where they could go to just be by themselves either. It was honestly that thought that had been the biggest push for Zuko.

"We can make a home..." Sokka had said, eyes burning softly into his.

Zuko came back to earth and slowly returned his gaze to Sokka. The dusk light was streaming through the window, illuminating Sokka's features beautifully. His hair looked like shiny, liquid onyx. And the reflection off his sapphire eyes made them appear somehow even more vibrant and bluer than even the clearest ocean. The dips of his muscular shoulders and biceps were intensified as the lowering sun made his bronze skin glisten.

"Gorgeous..." Zuko said softly, losing control of what was in his head and what was spoken. His face immediately reddened and he turned his head to look away, hoping Sokka had missed it. But, of course, in the one moment Zuko needed his lover to be a blowhard, he was totally silent.

"Mhm? What, babe?" Sokka asked, turning his head towards him, still knelt down packing up boxes.

"Nothing," Zuko responded, rather too quickly.

Sokka raised a brow, and slowly stood, crossing his arms across his chest. Noticing the bright flushed skin behind Zuko's ear, and the obvious refusal to make eye contact. Sokka slowly approached with a smirk across his face.

"Baaabe. What did you say? Was it something cute that you hoped I wouldn't hear?"

"No. I don't say cute things."

"Then why are you blushing so cutely?" Sokka leaned in as if to inspect Zuko's face.

"I'm not cute! Back off!" Zuko flung his arm out to give his idiot boyfriend a shove, however Sokka side stepped it and caught his wrist and pulled him close. His other arm slid over Zuko's waist to hold him close by his lower back. Sapphire eyes burned into amber.

"You're right. You’re beautiful," Sokka said so softly, almost matter-of-factly. Even though it was said so simply, it caused Zuko's heart to flutter and stomach turn to jelly. He sometimes hated that Sokka was the one to see him go so soft, but then again, who would be safer to be so vulnerable with.

Zuko turned to look at Sokka, maintaining eye contact and returned the smile. He raised his arms to wrap them gently around Sokka's neck, stroking the soft tip of his braid.

"I said you are gorgeous..." he murmured in a playful begrudging way.

"Yeah, I know. I heard you," Sokka's face broke into a huge shit-eating grin.

Zuko scoffed and shoved him back. "Then why did you- UGH! You’re so annoying!" he turned on his heels to walk out of the room.

"Baaaabe!" Sokka ran after him, wrapping his arms around his shoulders and putting his six foot frame as dead weight against Zuko's body. "Come on, let's call it a day. We've worked really hard."

"Get off me!" Zuko gave a strained laugh. When Sokka wanted to use his towering size against Zuko there was little that he could do about it. Well, nothing he could do that wouldn’t hurt Sokka at any rate. That was one thing the servants of the palace were still getting used to, the two full grown men wrestling and sparring throughout the halls as if they were children. Especially when they decided to act like a baby Komodo Rhinos about it. 

Zuko was still trying to walk but with a light lean to the side Sokka sent them careening into a couch at the top of the stairs landing area. He suddenly imagined this is what a struggling cat felt like when being cocooned in a blanket by it's overly affectionate owner. Strong, tan arms were holding him tightly into the soft cotton fabric of his boyfriends chest. He squirmed lightly but was honestly too tired, and a bit charmed to give it too much effort.

"You are such a pain, Sokka..." Zuko huffed.

"And you don’t know how to relax. And that’s why I’m here," Sokka nuzzled Zuko close. "Now, we’re going to cuddle until you calm down. Then we’re going to go for a swim.. Then we're gonna have dinner. And after that we’re gonna relax until bedtime. Got it?"

"I thought this was a vacation, why’re you lining everything out like my secretary?"

"It's the only way to get you to listen to me sometimes," Sokka lightly butted heads with him. "Babe, you work way too hard when you’re in the capitol. I know there is a lot of work to do here too... But it’ll be worth it. We have a month here. Iroh has got your back in the palace... you can focus on you for a bit here, yeah?"

"It's hard, Sokka….” Zuko once again found himself getting lost in those sapphire eyes that still stole his breath away.

"I know, but it's important. YOU are important." he rested his forehead against Zuko's again, holding him close. "I love you, Zuko."

The gentleness. The sincerity. The fact Zuko wasn't used to hearing it. Of course Uncle Iroh was never one to hide his feelings about anything, and Mai was even known to say it with a layer of sarcasm to it from time to time - but with Sokka it was a hundred percent genuine. Perhaps that was Zuko's favorite thing about his lover, he was always honest with how he felt about any and everything. He expressed himself clearly and in a very forward way, and it was both overwhelming and calming at the same time. It was still something Zuko was getting used to, being able to be so honest with someone and knowing that honesty would be returned tenfold.

Zuko treasured moments like these more than anything. He signed softly and closed his eyes, just taking the moment to feel all of Sokka. His breath against his lips, the smoothness of his skin, his scent, his strength. If they could live in little moments like this forever, not burdened by their jobs or responsibilities - that would be bliss.


	3. Day 4: Brothers and Sisters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zuko rushes through his morning ritual in order to try to feel some accomplishment... what will he discover in his and Azula's old bedroom?

Zuko woke up, per usual, far earlier than Sokka. When home at the capitol he was used to rising with the sun, it was only to have some time to himself before beginning the day’s work. He would usually take a cup of tea out onto the balcony and just take in the warmth of the sun's rays against his skin. He would then make his way down the courtyard to do some training for both his bending and swordplay. 

This morning was slightly different. True, he slipped out from under Sokka's arm and went to make a pot of tea per normal. But once he filled his glass to let the leaves steep, he took his cup to the bedroom he used to share with Azula. He had decided the night prior that this was the day he would have to make some sort of progress in the house. Thi room seemed the safest best, being the smallest in the manor with the least amount of things to sort through or be emotionally attached to. The last time he and Azula had been there they had been very young. And even then they weren’t best friends or anything, but he did have very vague, fond memories of summers spent with his sister. However, they drifted apart as they aged, Zuko’s memories of her became clouded with confusion and fear. Her absolutely lack of empathy as a child, for anything or anyone, frightened him. He could never comprehend it, and she was more than willing to exploit that fact. 

Even with all of that, Zuko told himself he was doing all he could for Azula's comfort and well being. However, her imprisonment after the battle for the throne still hit a painful cord for him. The fondness that once had been there, he wasn’t sure could ever be achieved again. And acknowledging that, the idea that he could never trust or love his sister, made Zuko feel like a monster. 

As he pushed the door open, he gave a deep sigh. This was the room that Toph and Katara had used during their stay there. Knowing that two friends he cherished had been the ones to most recently stay in the room, gave him a small sense of joy... At least he decided to try to think of it that way, because he wasn’t sure he could go through this without it. 

He shook his head, deciding that his side of the room should be far easier to deal with. He set the tea upon the small chestnut table with small sea shell carvings to continue to steep, and pulled open the drawers to start cleaning. There wasn't much in there other than a hair comb, some broken sea shells, and a rolled up piece of parchment. He unrolled it curiously, having no memory of it. Inside there were four hand prints with his mother's distinctive writing beneath them. 

Azula - aged 5  
Zuko - aged 7

He vaguely remembered this. He and Azula had been playing tag in the courtyard and she had tripped him, causing him to lunge forward and knock over his mother's ink well. Ursa had managed to catch it before it spilled too much, but the document she had been writing was ruined. Zuko remembered the wind being knocked out of him and he was ready to cry, but his mother’s soothing voice had calmed him down. Azula was made to apologize, one of the few times that ever happened and Zuko believed it to be somewhat genuine. And Ursa had urged them to dip their small hands in the ink and press them on a new piece of paper. 

"You won't be small forever, my darlings, but remember - even the smallest one of us can make a marvelous change on the world." 

He remembered her soft voice behind him as she pressed both his and Azula's hands into the paper. He recollected Azula and him laughing, and the way Ursa gently kissed the back of their hands before chasing them to the waves crashing upon the beach to help them wash their hands clean. He smiled and held the aged parchment gently before carefully rolling it back up and placing it and the comb in his pocket.  
He emptied the seashells into a wastebasket in the corner and leaned over the side of the bed to check for anything that could have ended up under there. The only thing he found was a pair of sandals he had outgrown long ago. He gave them a light chuck into the wastebasket as well. Two areas cleaned... only a hundred more to go. 

He exhaled sharply and tried to remember how Sokka had been doing things. He had divided each room into sections. An area for things to keep, another for trash, and the final one for things to destroy. Shouldn't be that hard for this particular room, Zuko hoped as he pushed open the sliding door to his side of the closet. Once again there was nothing in their other than far too small clothes and shoes. Though he did find a few small toys that tugged at his nostalgia. He was curious if there were any places where children's things could be donated? A question for another day, so he gathered them from the closet and shook the dust from them and placed them in a neat pile on the bed. 

The toys he inspected to make sure they were still functioning, most weren't, so he tossed them. But there was one small painted spinning top he added to the pile of clothes for donation. The only other things in his closet were some tattered beach towels, and a small assortment of beach rocks.  
Suddenly overwhelmed with the dust, Zuko opened up the window that was in between the two small beds. He watched as the sun glistened across the beach and smiled to himself. He hadn’t been one to do much cleaning before, other than the tea shop. And there was a sense of pride with it this time, given it was a place he was trying to rebuild. He never felt much pride in his work at the tea shop, finding it humiliating to lower himself to servant work. Maybe the years had humbled him, or he was just finally in a place to understand just because of his ancestry he wasn’t outright better than anyone else. He shook his head, realizing he had gotten distracted again before pitching the stones out towards the beach. 

Enough of the easy stuff. Onto the harder part. He took one large gulp of his tea and frowned. It had steeped too long and thus was a bit bitter. He shook his head in disappointment before setting it back on the beside table and turning to Azula's side of the room. The soothing first tea of the morning was now ruined, and something about having his morning ritual put off kilter seemed ironic given how his thoughts were stuck on Azula. She was always the one to throw him off his game, and even now when she was thousands of miles away she was still affecting him.  
Repeating how he started, he began with her bedside table's drawer. Again finding a comb but also a small hand mirror and a few assorted ribbons. He knew some of these were ones that his mother had hand stitched decorations around the edges for her. He remembered in the mornings how Ursa would come in to brush Azula's hair and sing songs to them as they prepared to start their days. He ran his fingers through the ribbons, some more tattered than others, but most of them in good condition. He added them to the donation pile as well. A pair of damaged children's house slippers were also under her bed, and they were swiftly chucked into the bin. 

As he pulled open Azula's closet he found another assortment of her childhood clothes and shoes. Having no other use, he began to fold them to prepare for donation. As the salty air began to blow through the room, dispersing the musty and stagnant air, Zuko suddenly began to feel a tightening in his chest. As he laid the tiny clothes onto the rest of the pile he felt his knees suddenly want to give. He stumbled backwards a bit and sat heavily upon his sister's old bed, letting out a shuddering sigh. 

"Babe?" came a soft voice from the doorway. 

Sokka stood in his sleeping clothes, leaning in the entryway watching Zuko gently. "You ok?" 

"Y-yeah... I just..." Zuko swallowed and held his knuckles. "Could... Could you tell me something?" 

"Of course. Anything." 

"What. Was Katara like when she was little?" 

Sokka looked confused, and took a moment before he smiled and nodded. 

"We were both brats. She’d want to go on adventures and stuff, but she’d be the first to rat me out to Gran Gran or our parents. She wouldn't always start a fight, but she would usually end it. But, we both always had our heads in the clouds. Pretending to go off on journeys and solving mysteries. She was the best story teller too. She could tell stories all day long, and even though it was all make believe, she really made you believe every single word." 

Sokka leaned his head back against the door frame, idly smiling at the thought of his goofy baby sister. Zuko observed him during his reminiscing, and he couldn't help but smile at the thought of a just as bossy but smaller Katara. 

"Have you both always been close?" Zuko's question came out a lot weaker than he was expecting, a hurt in it that he couldn't quite hide. 

"Well, not always. We fought a lot once Dad left. Though, I know I deserved all of the shit she gave me. She had to grow up really quickly, you know? I mean, true we both did, but she definitely was more grounded than I was. It took meeting Aang, Suki and Toph for me to get my shit together. I was a huge jerk, and definitely a shithead when it came to women. And it took understanding how little I knew about everything to move past that. I couldn’t have done that without Katara’s help… though I’ll never admit it to her, of course.” 

"We... sometimes got along,” Zuko smiled, turning his head to look at the small pile of his and Azula's old clothing. “When we were here, we were too small and young to be bending or even thinking about what family we belonged to. So things were good then. But, things changed. Once our schooling started we began to drift apart because she started to learn who she was, who we were, and about all her potential. As Dad became more obsessed with power, and Azula proved herself a prodigy, the favoritism… things changed. Things got dark.” 

Sokka just stood there, listening, and occasionally nodding as Zuko worked his way through his feelings. Finally approaching him and gesturing to the cup of tea on the table.

"It's going to get cold," Sokka said sweetly. 

“It’s already over steeped. If I reheat it the bitterness will get worse…” Zuko sighed. He was suddenly finding it hard to look Sokka in the eye, and his stomach was doing summersaults. He swallowed weakly and before he could stop himself, "Is it... bad... that I don’t think she’s capable of change? That she’s too far gone?" he asked, his voice cracking. 

"No. No. " Sokka slowly sat beside him, squeezing Zuko's knee. "You saw how it was first hand with her. You know the pressure that she was put under, because you were under it too. In a different way, sure, but you both were unfairly treated by your father in different ways. He pushed you both too far, but you both reached your breaking points at different times. And... the boiling water that softens the rice, hardens the egg." 

There was a pause. Zuko slowly raised his head, his face painted in confusion. 

"The.. water. What?"

"Don't look at me that way! Your Uncle said it once! And I thought it made sense!" Sokka looked away, blushing deeply. "You two are pretty similar to Katara and I, honestly. Not exactly, but in some ways you know?" 

"No. I don't. Your sister never tried to kill you, or lied to you for fun to watch your spirit get crushed." 

"True, she didn't. But, we also had to grow up too quickly. With all the men gone I had to be the one to start to train to prepare to protect the tribe. I had to learn to fight before being tall enough to use a spear properly. And Katara, she had to raise me and herself. We had Gran Gran of course, but we both had to mature way sooner than most kids. And, you Azula were the same way, yeah? You both were pressured by your Dad. Just, different types of pressure. Your Dad underestimated you and didn't value the lessons you learned that made you different to other fire nation soldiers, much less royalty. And Azula, he... Granted, this is all assumption, but he overestimated her so much, put so much on her shoulders that she broke. She couldn't manage his expectations of her, and took on too much... You assumed a greater responsibility slowly and steadily... She took on so much so quickly that, to me, it isn't shocking that she cracked." 

All Zuko could do was listen. He couldn't argue with the logic. And it wasn't as if he hadn't had the same thoughts before, but there was something reassuring about hearing it from someone else too. He raised his hand to wipe away some tears that were stinging at his eyes. 

"Sometimes, I worry that something like that could happen to me. That I could have a mental breakdown like that too... lose total control. Lose everything." 

That thought laid heavily between them. Sokka swallowed softly and slowly wrapped his arms around Zuko’s shoulders.

"I cannot say I blame you for thinking that, but I also don’t think it’s going to happen. You have way more allies than Azula did. True allies, and friends, who won't be afraid to tell you the truth, or of showing their concern. Azula's allies stayed due to fear, and that isn't how it is with you. Your friends love you, Zuko. I love you." 

One tear was followed by another, and another, until Zuko had tears streaming down his face. He nodded weakly but could not answer. Sokka kissed his cheek and went to hold his hand gently. 

“You aren’t a bad person, Zuko. Because bad people don’t care about being bad, or trying to be better. And you try to be better each and every day. You get out of bed with the goal of being the best version of you possible. You try every damn day to be a good leader, a good man, a good boyfriend. It’s one of the things I admire and love the most about you, Zuko.”

Zuko turned his head, his eyes still overflowing with tears, to look at Sokka. Sapphire eyes looked back at him, also filled with passion and care. Feeling overwhelmed and not quite sure what to say, he just pressed his face into Sokka’s shoulder where he was immediately brought into a tight embrace. 

He remained there for several minutes, crying and heaving into Sokka’s strong shoulders. Sokka steadily stroked through his hair and gave kisses to the top of his head. Finally feeling like a weight had been lifted from him, Zuko lifted his head to wipe away his tears. 

“Thank you, Sokka…” 

"Of course,” Sokka leaned in to kiss Zuko tenderly on the lips. “Come on, babe. Let's make some breakfast with a new pot of tea. You did good in here, so let's take a break." 

"Y-yeah..." Zuko stood up and reached to hold his cold cup of tea. His morning ritual had gotten off on the wrong foot. However, as Sokka slide an arm around his shoulders he did feel a sudden sense of calm. Even though it didn’t start off the right way, they could make it right together. He gave a soft sigh and laid his head against Sokka’s shoulder as he was led out of the room. As they both took a small glance back, Zuko couldn't help but feel the slightest amount of calm. He decided to treasure it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trying to offer Zuko something everyone deserves during moments of trouble and hardship: a listening ear and empathetic words. He doesn't try to fix him or the situation, he lets Zuko work through it all while offering encouragement. 
> 
> "Always try to be nice, but never fail to be kind." - Dr. Who.

**Author's Note:**

> For my wonderful friend and constant supporter, space_sauce. We made a home together and worked like hell to do so. Thank you for all you continue to do for me. 
> 
> "I'm with you till the end of the line."


End file.
